At 21 months, your baby is rapidly growing and acquiring new skills each day. Both physical and cognitive development speed up, language skills advance, and social interactions become more noticeable. Here’s what to expect in your 21-month-old’s development:

Physical Development

Movement and Coordination

By this age, your baby will likely walk, run, and even jump with more confidence. They may also be able to climb stairs with improved success and handle more challenging physical activities. Playing with toys and interacting with the environment becomes more controlled and intentional.

Fine Motor Skills

A 21-month-old’s fine motor skills become more refined. They can grasp small objects more easily, engage in activities such as drawing simple shapes with crayons, and handle toys with greater dexterity. Solving simple puzzles and matching shapes may also show their advancing motor skills.

Cognitive Development

Your child’s understanding of the world grows significantly during this period. They begin to grasp cause-and-effect relationships, connect objects and events, and engage in creative play.

Problem-Solving and Understanding

At 21 months, babies experiment with different methods to solve problems. For instance, they may figure out how to reach a toy or open a door. These actions demonstrate their increasing ability to think logically and solve problems independently.

Imitation and Creative Play

Imitation games become one of the favorite activities of your 21-month-old. They observe and mimic the actions of parents or other adults. For example, they might pretend to talk on the phone or play cooking games. These creative plays help them explore the social world.

Language Development

Language skills develop rapidly, with vocabulary expanding and simple sentences forming. Communication with you and others strengthens.

New Words and Expressiveness

At 21 months, your baby will likely start forming simple two- or three-word sentences. They express their needs or emotions more clearly, using phrases like “mommy, water” or “play ball.” This period shows significant progress in verbal communication.

Following Instructions

Your child can now follow two-step instructions more easily. For example, they can understand directions like “Pick up the toy and put it on the table.” This improvement shows their growing capacity for language comprehension.

Social and Emotional Development

Social skills develop quickly at this age. Babies interact more with those around them and begin to form emotional connections. Emotional responses also become more distinct.

Independence

At 21 months, children often seek more independence. They may want to eat by themselves or choose their toys. This reflects their increasing self-confidence and emerging individuality.

Emotional Reactions

Your child will express emotions more openly at this stage. Whether they feel happy, sad, or frustrated, their emotional responses become clearer. They may also start to understand and respond to the emotions of others, signaling early signs of empathy.

Sleep Patterns

A 21-month-old’s sleep routine usually includes both nighttime and daytime sleep. However, some babies may start to shorten their daytime naps.

Nighttime Sleep

At this stage, nighttime sleep tends to be more stable. Babies may sleep for longer stretches without interruption, though growth spurts or teething might sometimes disrupt their routine.

Daytime Naps

Most 21-month-olds still take at least one nap during the day. Naps help them balance their energy levels and maintain a peaceful demeanor throughout the day.

Nutrition

By this age, your baby has fully transitioned to solid foods and should have a well-balanced diet. A variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins should be part of their meals.

Solid Foods

A 21-month-old’s diet should include diverse and healthy foods. Their growing independence in feeding themselves also helps improve their fine motor skills.

Eating Habits

During meal times, your child may want to feed themselves, reflecting their growing independence and improving motor skills.

Play and Activities

Play is the primary learning method for a 21-month-old. Through play, they develop motor skills and learn how to interact with others.

• Books: Picture books help foster language development and expand vocabulary.
• Blocks: Playing with blocks enhances fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Ball Games: Ball games support hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.

Doctor Visits and Vaccinations

Regular doctor visits should continue to monitor your child’s growth and development. Your doctor will also inform you about any necessary vaccinations at this stage.